Work in Progress

Prologue


Nearly thirty thousand women and children were herded into the market square on a bright summer morning to watch the event that would change the entire future of The City. Established as a haven, the occupents were now entering into a period of tyrannical rule. This day would cause the entire city to enter a period of mourning that many believed was insurmountable.


Forced in by squads of guards- combined traitors of their nation along with those officially employed by the new king, the usurper, there was little anyone could do but stare with horror at the scaffold that had been errected in the middle of the crowd. The few men left in the city held close to their families, worried that once seperated, they would be unable to find or connect with one another again. 


Close to the outside of the crowd, Gavriel stood beside his mother. One hand tucked protectively into her own, and the other busy while he sucked his thumb. Unsure why his mama, who was so very rarely seen to be upset, had tears streaming down her face, the little boy was frightened all though he could not understand why. 


"Mama," he said, tugging at the brown tattered skirt he had never seen before, "Mama I want to go home." His naturally large hazel eyes widened as a puppies would, as he begged to be led away from the madness of the crowd.


Having temporarily forgotten he was with her, she bent quickly and picked him up before replying so no one would hear and question her refined accent combined with the peasents clothing. "We can't," she whispered, kissing his cheek before adding, "but I with that we could."


He studied his mothers face and wiped at the track tears had made down her face with his freed hand, before he burried his own in his mother neck and sniffling. He so desperately wanted to be a big boy and he knew that to do so, he must not let her see his own tears. She rubbed the back of his head, as she looking towards the scaffold with trepidation.


Despite trying to remain close to the outskirts of the crowd, she had been sucked in, until she was close enough to have a clear view of the entire spectacle. "Keep your eyes and ears closed Gav," she said, "I will tell you when it is okay to look again." He bumped his head, trying to nod without removing his chin from her collarbone. Slowly, the buzzing of the crowd died down and a man dressed in scarlet red stood on the front of the platform and read out the names of those who were to be hung. There was little ceremony, as if to diminish the rank of the royal family who were about to be "hung until dead", and the usurpers had not even bothered to try and come up with a reason. Her horror was complete as she watched her husband, the father of her three year old son and the child in her womb, take the scaffold, led blindfolded to a noose with his nephew and her elder brother. 


Despite her location, she knew her husband saw her. A moments eye contact and a glimmer of hope entered his eyes. She choked a sob back, as the board dropped out from underneath him, and it was done.